RYAN Clarke made two vital saves in a frantic second half as Oxford United shared a goalless draw with a fired-up York City.

The game took an hour to catch light, but both sides will have come off wondering how they were unable to score in a breathless last 30 minutes.

United had chances, but found it impossible to beat York goalkeeper Aaron McCarey.

His opposite number, Clarke, was also in inspired form and blocked clear chances from Ryan Jarvis and Ashley Chambers.

The point meant United were unable to return to the top of the Sky Bet League Two table, but their unbeaten away run in the league is now a hugely impressive ten games.

As expected, U's boss Chris Wilder named an unchanged side from the 2-1 win over Dagenham & Redbridge a week earlier.

There was little to choose between the teams in an even opening, where goalmouth action was at a premium.

It took 20 minutes for United to threaten. A defensive mistake presented the ball to Dave Kitson, who played in Ryan Williams, but the winger could not get a shot away and his cross was eventually dealt with.

York did not look low on confidence, despite winning just one of their previous 13 games in all competitions.

The hosts looked sharper in possession, with wide men Ryan Brobbel and Josh Carson looking dangerous.

They looked to get the ball forward quickly to Wes Fletcher and steadily built up a head of steam.

On 26 minutes they came close to an opener, when James Constable mis-kicked attempting to clear a corner. The ball could have gone anywhere, but United scrambled to block the follow-up.

The Minstermen's best moment of the half came just after the half hour mark.

Ben Davies got forward on the left and his cross found its way to Carson on the far side. He was in space, but held his head in his hands after volleying well wide from the edge of the box.

York goalkeeper McCarey had relatively little to do. United's only shot on target came from James Constable on 40 minutes, but after manoeuvring his marker out of the way the striker shot straight at the stopper.

United were arguably the happier side to reach the break goalless, but they were unable to stir themselves early in the second half.

Sean Rigg was introduced, but it was York who should have scored on the hour.

A quick break exposed the U's defence and Ryan Jarvis went through, only to see his low shot well blocked by Clarke.

The goalkeeper did well to hold on to a rising shot from substitute Michael Coulson shortly afterwards as the game really opened up.

United began to make headway, too, and McCarey was alert enough to keep out both a Kitson header and also deny the forward on the follow-up.

The goalkeeper fared less well with a low shot from Constable with the next attack. He spilled the effort, but the ball did not fall kindly for Williams.

A goal at one end looked inevitable and the game resembled a basketball match during a breathless spell.

Kitson was again at the heart of everything good going forward from the visitors.

The 33-year-old set up one chance after winning the ball with a superb sliding tackle in the box, but Asa Hall's shot could not beat McCarey.

The goalkeeper again thwarted United with the next chance, when Kitson played in Constable, whose shot was powerful but too close to the keeper.

York finished strongly and Clarke again came to United's rescue in stoppage time.

With the back four playing for offside no-one spotted an Ashley Chambers run from deep. The goalkeeper's instincts were correct and he blocked the shot outside of the area.

It confirmed both sides finished level and although United were not able to produce another late goal, this was a decent point.

Oxford Utd: Clarke, Hunt, Mullins, Wright, Newey, Williams (Smalley 77), Hall, Rose, Ruffels (Rigg 56), Kitson, Constable.

Unused subs: Crocombe, Long, Marsh, Raynes, Davies.

York City: McCarey, O'Neill, Lowe, McGurk, Davies, Carson, Montrose, Platt, Brobbel (Coulson 58), Fletcher, Jarvis (Chambers 79).

Unused subs: Ingham, Puri, Oyebanjo, Clay, Fyfield.

Referee: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire).

Attendance: 3,526 (455 visitors).